Heart on Ice
by hl's translations
Summary: [TRANSLATED. Original by SamaraLestrange.] A grand city. A dark past. And the warm smile of a young woman. Is this enough to cure a wounded heart? AU SokkaxSukix? Zutara soon. Chapter 4: Strawberry–Flavored Problems
1. Chapter 1: A Beginning

_**Translator's Notes:**A__ little bit of information about the original author: Samara Lestrange (Pen name: -Samara-Lestrange-) is a fifteen-year-old Bolivian girl who enjoys many different animes, including Slayers, InuYasha, Shaman King, Fullmetal Alchemist, and many others. She also enjoys rock music and the series _Harry Potter _and _Lord of the Rings_. Oh, and she likes to sleep and draw, too :P_

_Samara is also the author of _Ella es mi pecado_, or _She Is My Sin_, a Zutara fic._

_For the curious, I've re-uploaded this onto my translations account, because I felt it was a bit out-of-place at my normal account. Anyway, I will translate and forward any and all reviews left for this fic. :) Enjoy!_

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**Hi!**

**Here is my new fic. I've always liked the pairing Suki/Sokka (almost as much as I like Zutara :P). I think that a fic with the two of them has many interesting aspects to explore. And I apologize for the delay with _She Is My Sin_, o.o I swear that inspiration isn't coming to me XD Although we'll see how I go with this.**

**Have I forgotten something?**

**Ah, well, I have to admit that I'm not fulfilling my promise of updating every two weeks T.T But, paying attention to my poor, pathetic mind, I beg you guys to tell me your opinions about this new fanfiction. So I hope that, when I return, you guys have left me some sort of little note (Samara pouting). Ahh… Anyway, I think that the title already exists in some movie o.o I'm not sure XD but whatever. :P**

**Disclaimer:** No, Avatar and Aang aren't mine… and I don't want them, as what I really want is Zuko XD

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**HEART ON ICE**  
By -Samara-Lestrange-  
Translated by helium lost 

Chapter 1. A Beginning

"_Now you're free, and I'm not._

_Now you're at peace, and I'm not._

_Now you're dead, and I'm not._"

These were the thoughts that flooded the mind of the teen, his warm breath forming tendrils of vapor before him. His hands, slightly numb from the cold, found refuge in the comfortable pockets of his coat. A thousand and one empty words and memories circled his head, repeating themselves again and again… just like every other time when, after class, he spent a moment on the skating rink.

He was reliving a past that would never be able to repeat itself, feeling again these sensations that he couldn't feel anymore… This place was empty, desolate, and alone, with only a few couples skating on the ice, and even then they kept the silence, a silence that perturbed and bothered him, submerging him further in his thoughts.

The blue-eyed teen inhaled the cold air, and it entered, cutting into his lungs. He didn't understand why he felt this hateful feeling, nor why he had these hateful memories that stifled him, nor could he understand why he always returned to the rink, knowing that he was just hurting himself. He left the pale ice to sit at the closest bank, adjusting his backpack on his shoulders before walking with heavy steps to the wooden bench.

Here he was again, spending another lonely afternoon with only the company of other skaters gliding on the thin blades of their skates… He envied their freedom. He was only a spectator who was trying to intensify the traces of his past, trying to maintain life in the smile of his mother, trying not to lose the memory of that marvelous woman, trying to try to feel again her caresses, her sobs… trying to feel again the presence of this woman who had left him and his sister, and, above all… his father.

He should have felt proud—rather, delighted—for the recent news. He had passed the tests to get into the martial arts team at the university, and he could begin his training this upcoming Monday with his companions. He had never been bad at sports, and even less when at self-defense, something to which his father had already introduced him, years back.

But five months ago, his life had crumbled to pieces around him, and everything that he had known—his life, his family—had stopped making sense to him…

His mother, Natsuki Masahiko, had been an excellent ice-skater in her better years, and, as a teenager, she had already participated in many of the Olympic games—her various medals and trophies still adorned the attic of their house. But the sweet girl had abandoned her career in the rink, her heart stolen by a handsome young man, with whom she would marry, years later, and with whom she would start a family. A beautiful and delicate woman, his mother…

"Everything began with just an illness…" Sokka sighed, exhaling the air as more clouds of vapor rose before him.

A grave and internal illness, that slowly but surely was consuming the life of his mother, until it extinguished the light from her eyes five months ago, months in which his father, like a coward, unable to bear the death of his marvelous and beloved Natsuki, decided to leave the city, too scared to go on in a place filled with memories of her. Beyond this feeling, and believing that the best was to help her father in his desperation, his sister, Katara, went with him to begin her secondary studies in London.

The chestnut-haired teen looked sadly at the humongous clock on the blank, white wall. He had to go; Rezo was waiting for him. A loyal and faithful dog, yes, but he ate huge amounts of food, and he had to be hungry by now.

Sokka stretched lightly, then adjusted his clothing and left the facilities, walking until he arrived at the entrance lobby. He approached an enormous, glass shelf displaying old photos, medals, and trophies of the excellent skaters that had ever set foot at the rink.

The lights shone on a beautiful picture, one that meant a lot to him. A girl with blue eyes and chestnut-colored hair that gracefully cascaded over her shoulders, dressed in a delicate, sky-blue ice-skater dress, triumphantly held up a golden cup. Behind her, there were various other girls with their skates over their shoulders, surely feeling the joy that she must have been feeling after winning. Below the image, engraved in black-and-white, were the words "Natsuki Tsurigame—National Figure-Skating Champion—1981."

He lowered his eyes and diverted his glance, trying to leave as soon as possible. His backpack was heavy on his shoulders, but not as much as the emptiness that flooded his stomach when he remembered what he had once had—a mother who would wait for him with open arms when he arrived home… He longed for this mother, who had brought him lovingly to this place so many times, and even though he was little, he had already known how to skate very well, but of course… having a teacher like her…

He left wearily through the enormous doors and felt air that was a little warmer sweep onto his face. It was an autumn afternoon, and he was in the middle of the city of Osaka; the tall buildings seemed to touch the rosy sky, painted with shades of red and purple. The trees displayed their withering foliage, and every so often, another leaf would fall gracefully with the breeze, brushing subtley against the people that passed through, living their monotonous lives in this moribund city.

The college students passed through the main avenue, flooding the place with their colorful uniforms. Sokka, deciding that the best would be to buy something to eat—as he wasn't up to cooking for himself—stopped for a moment before the intersection and examined the depths of his pockets, hoping to find some money so that he could stop at some place and buy something. Fortunately, he found enough to pay for a decent meal. The corners of his mouthed twitched into a small smile, and he crossed the street, intent on going to one of his favorite restaurants.

He passed various other shops, but he had his eyes set on the ice-cream shop with enormous stained-glass windows with Gothic letters spelling out the name of the place—Sinistra. Behind the windows, he saw the calm interior of the place—a bit dark, yes, but still very cozy. At a table by the window, there sat a couple engrossed in one another, showing off their affection to the world. Sokka frowned, disturbed—it was at that table that he had sat many times before during the summer afternoons with his mother and his sister to enjoy their favorite ice cream. Chocolate was his favorite, and strawberry, Katara's. But his mother always ordered coconut or vanilla. He wished that he could stop for a cup of coffee, but he was beginning to lag behind—he had to hurry up a bit…

A pair of kids ran close by him, almost knocking over a chubby woman hugging her groceries with both arms. The teen didn't pay much attention to her, instead looking in the direction in which the kids had ran off. He saw that the fast-food joint where he usually went was closed, and all the lights were off inside… The doors were closed, and there was obviously nothing for him to order.

"Damn it, not now…" he said, feeling the impulse to knock down the door, as his stomach was already beginning to growl. He put his hands on the glass of the door and tried to think of some other place where he could go to eat.

Resigned, he began to walk toward home, hoping to encounter some place on his way there. The cafés were full, and, as it was almost six, he could hardly blame them. His steps were accompanied by a delicate breeze that made the brown jacket he had on flutter.

Finally, he reached a place that looked promising.

"Kyoshi?" he whispered, reading the name on the modest building. Leaving behind any preconceived notion that he may have had about the place, he entered the place. The doors squeaked when they opened. Inside, everything was decorated with the colors black and gold, and a shade of green decorated the walls of the roomy place; the tables were open, inviting, and familiar with their tablecloths with pretty borders. Behind the tables, there was a counter.

The floor was wooden, just like many of the other decorations, and the small bar in the back attractively displayed its drinks and shots. Sokka continued looking around the well-lit, clean and cozy place. It seemed to him that the food wasn't too bad, either, as an exquisite aroma was beginning to dance near his nose…

He didn't really know the system of this place, and so he walked over and seated himself at a table farther away from the rest of them. He took off his backpack and made himself comfortable in the plush chair, observing for a moment the portrait on the wall behind him. It was of a beautiful woman with green eyes outlined excessively with black makeup. Her gaze was serious and deep. Her skin was white, and her lips were painted a strong, crimson color. There was neither a name nor a label beneath the picture; Sokka was wondering about this when someone lightly touched his back.

"Good afternoon. Can I help you?" said a voice behind him, bringing him back into reality. He turned to find himself looking into the smiling face of a girl.

"Umm… I haven't decided what I'm going to order yet," said Sokka, better examining the girl who was his waitress. She was dressed in baggy jeans and wore an apron tied around her waist with the word 'Kyoshi' embroidered in black on the front. Her shining hair was an auburn color—almost red—and her green eyes were like emeralds, exactly like the eyes of the woman in the portrait. Her lips were colored red, and her skin was smooth and pale.

"Are you sure? If you want, I can give you the menu," she suggested in a friendly tone, taking from who-knows-where a menu for the confused teen. She held his gaze for a moment before reaching out to give him the menu. "Sorry, but… You're not from here, right?" said the girl.

"Well, not really. It's the first time I've come here."

"I see… Well, welcome to Kyoshi, bar-café-restaurant. What would you like to order?" she said, almost bowing, as if she were following a daily routine. Then, the girl smiled, amused. "It's only a formality," she explained.

"Interesting…" Sokka returned the smile, losing himself in those beautiful emerald eyes, then hastily lowered his head again.

"I know, I know—it's strange, but it's the rules, and I have to follow them," said the brunette, closing her eyes and posing dramatically. "Well, anyway, about your order… What would you like?" she said, taking her notepad from her waist.

"Well, I've already told you that this is my first time coming here, so I haven't the least idea what they serve here, but I hope it's worth it…"

"Hey, I've worked here for a good amount of time, and we serve _very_ delicious food," she said, slightly offended. "Well, if you want to know, we serve international food of all kinds: Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Arabian, even French… if you like." She rubbed her chin.

"Sounds good, but…" Sokka began, but she interrupted.

"Of course, we also have the classics—hamburgers, malts, ice cream, French fries, fish sticks, pizza—even though technically, that's Italian food," she said, laughing. Sokka felt warmed by her laugh, his shyness gradually disappearing.

"Well… fast food," he murmured, scanning the menu for all that was said by the girl.

"Oh, and, not to assume anything, but we also have an excellent selection of drinks," she said, winking at him. "Although… seeing your face, I'm guessing that you don't drink, right?" she said, peering into his face.

"What are you trying to say with that?"

"Oh… Nothing; it's just that, looking at your face, I'm sure that you don't like to drink."

"I _do_ drink, just not very much. Sorry if I don't drink as much as _you_…"

"I didn't mean that; it was just a little joke. You don't have to be so huffy," she said, taking up her notepad again. "Anywho, I'm a little busy right now, so please tell me what you'd like to order."

"What do you recommend?"

"Well, it depends. Are you going to eat here, or are you going to take your food to go?"

"I'm going to eat here on account of the _excellent_ service and attention," said Sokka sarcastically, smiling at the girl.

"Ha, ha. Very funny. Well, I'd recommend what everyone else likes to order—a hamburger with French fries piled up to the top of the plate, and our special malt," she said, smiling at him.

"Mmm, sounds good, but I didn't ask what everyone else orders—I asked for what _you_ recommend," said Sokka, beginning to find himself interested in this girl.

The brunette gave him a strange look, but felt a slight tickling sensation at her collar. "Well then, if _that's _the case… you could try the lasagna, or the spaghetti. The pasta here's pretty good," she said, leaning lightly on the table, whispering her suggestions into his ear.

"All right, then an order of lasagna it'll be, err…" Sokka glanced at her apron for some sort of name tag or label, but he didn't see anything. "Sorry, but what's your name?"

"My name's Masagi Suki," she said casually as she took down his order. "Well then, in about five minutes or so, your order will be ready," she told him.

"All right, Miss Masagi," he said formally, still looking at her. Suki immediately noticed his gaze.

"Excuse me," she said, and left for the counter.

Sokka continued watchin the girl, the laces of her apron tied firmly around her narrow waist. He noticed the most her curves, and her hair that shone in the bright lights, falling past her shoulders. He leaned back a bit in the chair, waiting for his meal, and it seemed that Rezo would have to wait—something interesting had presented itself to him tonight, and it wasn't exactly the restaurant…

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The sound of the door opening alerted the dog that was sleeping comfortably on the carpet of the room. The animal raised his pointed ears and woke up, and, with slow steps, he approached where he perceived the presence of his recently-arrived master. The lights were soon turned on and illuminated the room, furnished in a homely style, with a large sofa in the middle, three large chairs around it, carpeted in beige, and with various photos and pictures on the mantle behind the plush chairs. 

A large window looked out onto the street of the suburb, but it was always covered with the voluminous, thick curtains.

"C'mere, Rezo. I haven't forgotten about you, boy," said the teen, taking off his heavy coat and throwing it onto the sofa. He went to the kitchen, followed by the enormous Labrador that wagged his tail frantically.

Sokka somewhat gone that night, or, at least, he felt that way when another waitress, instead of Suki Masagi, had come to give him his order. The teen arrived at the kitchen, where there was a rather small table with three chairs, and a long, marble counter, under which there were various drawers and boxes. Above the counter was a pretty and simple piece of furniture—or rather, the cupboard, and further along were the refrigerator and the stove.

Living alone in such a large house was one of the reasons why he preferred to spend his time outside. Plus, there was the fact that being outside the house would have it dirtied less often, and, well, he would have to clean less often, as well. And such a large, lonely place left him feeling consumed with loneliness, and for the most part, he liked to remain on the streets.

He knelt down until he was level with the first small drawer below the counter. He opened the doors and took out a large bag of dog food, and upon hearing the tearing of the bag, Rezo jumped up and started barking happily at his owner.

"Shh… I'm doing this as fast as I can," said Sokka, taking out a plastic bowl. Rezo barked and ran around happily as the red bowl was handed to him.

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He took the towel and entered his room, still drying his hair, not bothering to turn on the lights. The day was finally over, and he was eager to jump into bed. He was tired, but felt better, remembering that the next day was Saturday, a well-deserved weekend before he would return to his classes at the university. 

Sokka pulled on a comfortable pair of pants and a shirt to sleep in. He gave up trying to completely dry his hair, leaving it damp; he flung the towel at the basket for his dirty clothes. He went over to the bed that was waiting for him, and fell on top of it, collapsing as if all his strength had left him. The soft mattress, the smooth sheets, the brilliant moonlight streaming through the window… none of this made his life any less miserable, as it was usually during the night that he needed his family the most.

Nobody could listen to his problems, help him, understand him, wish him "good night", nor give him advice… There was no one to quarrel with to give him a feeling of sense to his life. He, Sokka Matsube, was one of the best students in Shinoda University, one of the guys that you could say had everything—good friends, good grades, a house all for himself, independence, a good social and academic life. Yet…

He had lived in that house since he was born, and he remained there, almost like how he remained at the rink, the heart of his mother. Natsuki had given in to the passion of that sport, just as she had absorbed herself completely when she became a mother and a wife.

The photos of his family on the bedside table reminded him that it was with them with whom he would curl up with to sleep when he felt as if he didn't have the strength to go on anymore. "Cruel fate," he thought, and heard his own voice filled with incredulity.

He had waited for years to enter the university and be the pride of his parents, who had prepared year after year for him to become the best… And just when he had done it… everything that had made sense for him vanished, leaving him utterly alone.

He turned and lay on his side, cheek pressed to the pillow, and wished that he could be in London with his father and with Katara, but he could never leave this house—the one that his father had wanted to sell weeks after Natsuki's death to try to get rid of all of those painful memories.

Staying here and going on here, where his mother had been and where she had walked, and not throwing all of his life overboard… Sokka knew how to pretend in front of his friends, who had given him their "deepest condolences". It would sadden him, and to continue carrying the memory of someone who had already left… it was torture. But he had wanted it to be like this… masochism or whatever you wanted to call it, he continued going to the skating rink, hoping and waiting until he plucked up the courage to return to skate on the ice…

Now, he had not regressed to the disastrous fate of things. He knew that he should go on… but for what? He didn't know for sure; he only knew that he would continue in the memory of his mother.

He yawned and curled up again between the sheets, and seconds before he fell asleep, he remembered the person who he had just met that day, that interesting girl… Masagi Suki, Sokka thought, smiling unconsciously. How silly it was to be thinking of her; the best he could do for himself was to leave his mind in peace for a day… or perhaps at least for a few hours, until he would go to see her again.

In only one night, he had already formed new expectations for himself—to many, perhaps. And without knowing it, he had already put Suki in one of them…

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**How was it? Was it bad? o.o Heheheh, well, you guys are seeing where I'm going with this, right? XD I know… You guys want to tie me up and lock me away because I'm not updating _She Is My Sin_, right:P**

**Zuko:** If you already know… then why are you asking anyway, peanut-brain? ò.o?

**I like to make things difficult :P Mwahahahaha, well, my beloved readers, here I bring you another crazy idea of mine, a Sokka/Suki fic. I know that not many of you like that pairing, but… I had to do it! MY CONSCIENCE screamed at me to do it T.T and you'll see that I'll add Katara later, and, of course, Zuko, because a fic isn't a fic without him…**

**Zuko:** Are you trying to flatter me? Damn, the sky is going to fall ­­­­¬¬

**Of course, because without you, there's no one for me to torture ;P Well, my beloved friends and Zuko, I shall leave you now, waiting for me to update soon. And of course, it would make me happy to see some reviews for this new fic o,o Can you believe that I dream about it? xD I beg of you guys TT don't be evil… I'm waiting for your reviews!**

**See you soon,**

**-Samara-Lestrange-**

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_**Translator's Notes:** As this is my first serious translation, any and all feedback is appreciated—if anything sounded awkward, please point it out; also, if you are fluent in Spanish and would like to comment on my translation, please do so. :) Just make a note if your message is to me, instead of to Samara. Thanks!_


	2. Chapter 2: A Start

_**Translator's Notes:** You'll notice that I changed the title to "Heart _on _Ice" because I realized that that made much more sense than "Heart Above Ice". XD So, sorry about that! Anywho, a special thanks goes out to **chickygurl** for helping me out with some of the words and phrases in this chapter. Enjoy!_

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**I'm continuing it :P! Here I am again XD ready to continue with this idea, since I see that there are some other fans of Sokka/Suki, like me.**

**I feel very happy and thankful for all of those who have left me a review. Well, to detail: Thanks with all my heart for your lovely reviews, and I hope that I don't disappoint you all with this chapter ;) MANY THANKS TO: Angel-Lali, Mimiru, Aiko1504 and helium lost.**

**And… Calm down, my fellow Zutara shippers; I'm also a Zutarian at heart, so don't be surprised when you see that this fic will have some sparks between Sokka's little sister and the fire prince :)**

**Disclaimer: No, Avatar and Aang aren't mine, and I don't want them, as what I really want are Sokka and Zuko :P**

**Without any further delay, I'll leave you guys with this chapter, which I hope you'll enjoy XD**

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**HEART ON ICE  
**By -Samara-Lestrange-  
Translated by helium lost

Chapter 2. A Start

The delicate flower petals were bathed with the dew of dawn, and a piece of the moon still hung in the sky, fighting against the glow of the sun, which would soon rise. The tranquility continued to breathe through the streets of this part of the city…

The silence was especially sepulchral in this particular two-story house, which showed its dull, peeling paint, its garden untended, the powerless plants clinging close to the window, close to the ground.

The pale, early-morning light of autumn began to filter in through the window, illuminating the interior of the house, giving a bit of life to the sober colors of the teen's room.

The thin light was reflected off of the glass of a pretty pictureframe that sat on the bedside table as the blue-eyed teen continued to sleep peacefully, enveloped by his sheets and beadspread.

The minutes passed, accompanying the teen with its silence. It was the weekend; it should be illegal to wake up this early… The teen snored softly as he turned over on the pillow, his face planted on its smooth surface.

The squeak of the door made him frown as he continued to dream, without realizing that four paws had come secretly to the foot of his bed.

Suddenly, still dreaming, Sokka felt the rough weight on his stomach, accompanied by a characteristic bark. The teen practically jumped from the mattress when he felt a warm tongue passing over his face, filling his cheeks with drool…

"What the hell… Rezo?" he said haltingly, trying to push the dog, which was wagging its tail, from his bed. "Calm down, boy, I'm already awake…"

The animal sat on the bedspread before barking again, expectfully looking at his master, who was wiping the sleeve of his shirt over his face to get his pet's drool off.

"Why can't you respect the fact that it's Saturday, buddy?" said the teen, irritated, eyeing the enormous dog with reproach. The dog energetically wagged its tail. "Well, looks like that's a no…"

The teen looked at the dog with a mixed expression of confusion and annoyance before patting its head. "Today, I have to go shopping, Rezo… I don't think I can bring you with me; they don't let dogs into the supermarket."

Rezo looked at him with those heartbreaking black eyes, making Sokka smile at his attitude. "No, no, you're not going to get anything by looking at me that way… I'm not Katara."

His pet barked before jumping off the bed, giving the teen space to get up and stretch. He walked barefoot on the beige carpet until he came to his drawers and took out what he was going to wear that day.

"Rezo… Look, let me propose something. Right now, I have an appointment over at the university; I should go and see the captain of the martial arts team, because today, he'll give me the training schedule," explained Sokka, getting out a black T-shirt with white, Gothic letters emblazoned on the front and a pair of baggy jeans. "When I get back, we can go for a walk in the park if you want. Does that sound good? I can't miss that appointment; that Yamazaki is really demanding with his practices." The dog barked another time before leaving his room, going toward the kitchen, wagging his velvety tail, leaving Sokka alone as he prepared his clothes before he took his morning shower. The teen wrinkled his nose slightly, trying to contain a yawn as he stopped in the doorway of the bathroom.

"Definitely not, I can't miss today… even if I'm really sleepy," he said, subdued, before opening the door and beginning his shower.

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The sun had risen and announced a beautiful morning. The streets began to fill themselves with the noise and tumult characteristic of this city. The tall and imposing buildings were raised, blocking out the rays of the sun.

The blue-eyed teen walked the trail for many minutes, concentrating on all the thoughts that crossed his mind. His hands were well-bundled in the pockets of his pants as he, with rhythmic steps, approached the university.

Light grumbles interrupted his walk, and all of them were from his stomach, which had already begun to complain about the lack of food. His refridgerator was as empty as his stomach was now… the only being in his house that had enjoyed a breakfast, like God had intended, was Rezo.

He continued a few more meters before finding himself again very close to the place where he had gone the night before. Kyoshi had already opened by now, inviting all to enter and have a delicious cappachino… but, sadly, he couldn't; he had to get to school… though he'd come later. The teen smiled, remembering the nice waitress who had attended to him.

"She said that her name was Suki Masagi…" he murmured, passing the local from a distance, but not without first glancing discreetly at the interior, looking for a certain brunette.

When he didn't see her, he felt a bit bad, and to try to pacify his feelings, he remembered that this place wasn't too far away from the skating rink. He thought for a few seconds before deciding to go on a different path.

He'd only be a few streets away from the university if he went to the skating rink… The teen smiled with melancholy, turning left instead of going straight on the street that would bring him to Shinoda.

This time, he said to himself, he wouldn't be late… he just wanted to go to remind himself of this good days, those memories of Natsuki; you really couldn't blame him… it was his way of starting the day.

He walked a bit faster through the streets until he saw the front of the enormous building that was the rink, and the overwhelming memories returned to him.

He entered, pushing open the glass doors, and breathing in the cold air of the interior… The building was, as usual, deserted… leaving him alone in the memories of his past. He walked, passing at a length the entrance to the locker rooms. His only objective this time was the see the ice for a moment, submerge himself in the oasis of peace mixed with the pain that this place offered him to start his day.

Today, as it was quite early, the rink was empty; not even those in charge of the rink's maintenance were there yet. Even all the lights were off, except the ones illuminating the ice of the rink.

Suddenly, a sound from the rink attracted his attention. It was the classic sound of ice being cut by the blades of skates…

"What…?" said Sokka, getting closer to the rink until he felt the cold air that was emanating from the ice, and in that instant, he saw the rink clearly… Someone else was there…

There was a young girl skating with a marvelous grace on the ice; she wore a pair of pants that fell very nicely on the curves of her legs and a pink sweater that stretched to accommodate the curves of her youthful figure; her chestnut-colored hair was gathered in a high ponytail.

Sokka slowly got closer to the rink, hoping to get a better view of the mysterious girl that continued to display her abilities.

She crossed delicately over the ice, stretching out her arms to maintain her balance. With every turn, the blades of her skates created a sound that, in other circumstances, would have broken his heart with memories. But, no… The finesse of her movements had hypnotized him.

The girl began to gain momentum before beginning to skate in reverse, lifting up her right leg until she managed to grasp it from behind with her hand, stretching her free hand before her to maintain control of her body as she continued crossing the empty rink.

She stopped for a moment before freeing her leg, then began to do various turns for warm-up.

Sokka remained where he was, examining and watching every turn and spin she did. She wasn't bad, not at all… She was very good; the girl had grace and a personality on ice, and this was without ignoring the beauty in every movement. She was like a fairy skating through a frozen forest.

He smiled unconsciously as he watched her skate with such perseverance. She had missed a landing, and now she repeated the spins various times, trying to improve every time. The teen noticed every one of the almost unnoticeable mistakes that she made, mistakes that were invisible to the inexpert eye, but, for him, the son of one of the national champions of ice-skating, they were very clear.

The minutes passed as she seemed to show that she would never tire of skating, and that he would never tire of watching her. Sokka felt a knot in his stomach as the memories tried to come back to him, and, warily, he kept his gaze on the pretty girl who was skating on the ice, confusing him with these feelings.

Suddenly, the girl decided to try a new move and quickened her pace, jumping up again and crossing a great distance, trying to spin in the air before she fell, but her body wasn't accustomed to this action and, unable to avoid it, she fell heavily onto the ice.

The blue-eyed teen kept still, in place, watching as the stubborn girl got up again, with her hair covering her face as she panted, trying to gain back her breath. She supported herself on the same ice that had made her fall.

It didn't take very long before she was back on her feet again. With her breath back, she began to turn again on the rink. Sokka continued to watch her… until, after countless minutes, she fell to her knees, exhausted.

She skated with her remaining energy until she reached the railing, pulling herself out of the rink. With tired steps, she walked to one of the seats closest to the rink to take off her skates… On the seat beside her, there was a backpack from which she took out her trainers.

She took off her skates, and promptly began to tie the shoelaces. When she finished, the girl rummaged through her backpack until she got out a bottle of water. She unscrewed the lid and drank half of it in one gulp. Her breathing was still a bit agitated, even though she had already finished skating.

Sokka couldn't resist it anymore. With a new bravery, he approached the girl, who had already put her skates back into her backpack. His steps resounded through the place, calling the attention of the girl. She was started to see him so close to him, and recognized him. Sokka, too, was speechless when he realized that he knew her…

"Good morning…" he said, almost in a whisper, seeing again the girl's beautiful eyes, now looking at him, surprised. "Masagi Suki, right?"

"Ehh… yeah, good morning," said the brunette, standing up from her place to fix her gaze on the teen. "Sorry, but aren't you the guy from yesterday…?"

"Yeah, I was at Kyoshi yesterday… Do you remember me? I'm Sokka Masahiko…"

"Of course… I remember you; it's just that I thought that I had confused you with someone else…" The girl smiled, adjusting her backpack on her shoulders. "And… What are you doing here so early?" she added, somewhat self-conscious with the idea that he had been here throughout her entire act.

"That's not important," Sokka said, continuing to look at her. "You do it really well."

"Do what?"

"Skating…"

"Oh… I see; thanks," said the girl, smiling.

"You skate really well for being just a beginner," he clarified, smiling, very aware of the lie that had slipped from his lips. Suki skated marvelously; she just needed to polish her skating a bit, but inside her, there was great talent.

The girl frowned and felt her cheeks heating up from anger as she tightened the cuffs of her sleeves.

"Hey! What do you mean by that? I know I'm not the skater of the year, but I'm not just a beginner, either…"

"Sorry, but I just said the truth. You need to improve, because some of your spins aren't that great, Masagi… You have to be more confident in your landing, in addition to the fact that you couldn't do the last turn…" said Sokka, enjoying this opportunity. It wasn't every day that he could correct someone in his or her skating form; he never could do it with Katara, because she never wanted to dedicate herself to the sport, like her mother.

"Well, sorry if I'm not good enough for your expectations, Masahiko." Suki stopped for a moment. "Sorry if I don't skate on your level," she murmured sarcastically, looking at him disparagingly, taking on a stubborn, defiant pose.

"Pardon me, Masagi… Since you're a girl, I'll make an exception; it's impossible that, being so young, you have the experience that years of skating gives," he commented, crossing his arms.

"Oh, so this is your other side, huh? I think that I made the wrong judgement about you yesterday—you are really just a chauvinist, just like the other boys at my school. But let me tell you that I can do anything a boy can do—maybe even better," she said, defending her position.

"Masagi, please, let's be honest—you're still lacking a lot before you can come to call yourself a 'skater'. I've been to many skating championships, and those women that I saw really know what skating is…" added Sokka, remembering those competitions which his mother had brought him to, along with Katara.

"I'm not a professional, this I already know, but I'm sure that you, Masahiko, don't even know how to put on skates. Everyone's a critic, but it's because they don't know what it takes to actually participate in the sport," she said, taking a step back from Sokka.

"You're wrong. It was just a constructive opinion, and it seems to me that it's very unprofessional that you don't take it, even if you're still too young to understand the magnitude of skating."

"Don't talk to me like this. I just barely came to know you yesterday, and now you already want to tell me how to skate after I've already been practicing for years? Do you want to criticize me? Well, first, you'll have to show me that you know what to do on the ice," she ordered.

"I don't need to show you anything," he said, realizing the course that this conversation was taking. "If you want to take my advice, well, that's good, and if not, it's the same to me. But you should try to transfer your weight more toward the front to guarantee a better landing, and when you land, you shouldn't separate your feet so much," he said, turning his back on the girl, who stared at him, astonished.

She stood there for a couple of seconds, looking at the strange person who she had just come to know. Finally, as she bit at her lower lip nervously, she came to a decision. Quickly, Suki adjusted her backpack on her shoulders before catching up with the boy.

"Wait!" she called out, running. It seemed to her as if Masahiko really _did_ know what he was talking about, and that he really _did_ know how to skate. Suki had never been able to pay for skating classes, and all that she knew, she had learned just from watching movies, watching the professional skaters, attending championships and other events on ice, but she never knew the feeling of having a teacher or a trainer…

"What?" he said, turning around to find himself face-to-face with her.

"Well, it looks like you _do_ know how to skate, Masahiko, and I… Can I ask you something…?"

"That depends."

"I want to know if you can come tomorrow," said Suki, a bit hesitantly, but keeping her gaze fixed on the boy.

"For w hat…?" he asked, knowing all too well where the brunette was going with this.

"I wanted to know if you could help me out. I want to see if you really know how to skate and if you could help me with that spin…"

"What do I get from it?" the teen said tentatively. Although Sokka had, from the beginning, wanted to help her, he didn't want to finish this by losing on this deal.

"Well, I'm not asking you for classes or anything like that, I just want you to show me just what you brag about so much… Can I count on you to come tomorrow at seven? Of course, if you want, after we skate, I can treat you to a coffee…" said Suki, crossing her fingers inside the pocket of her pants.

The girl knew that although he wouldn't accept, she wouldn't feel bad; she would just have lost an opportunity to improve her skating.

"Hmm… tempting," said Sokka as he rubbed his chin. "Well, all right, Miss Masagi, you've got youself a deal."

"Well, impress me, yeah? I'll see you tomorrow," she murmured, leaving the boy and exiting.

"Taking it for granted, huh…" he said, watching as the girl left his sight. He remained alone in the rink for a few more seconds, before the alarm on his wristwatch went off, telling him that he should be in the gym in ten minutes.

"Damn, I'm late!" yelled Sokka, running to the door of the rink and leaving through it before throwing himself anew at the streets, running.

* * *

"Good morning, Sokka, how are you?" greeted a teen running a bit to catch up with him. He wore a pair of jeans and a shirt that had the university's logo on it. His hair was chestnut-colored and had a small ponytail in the back.

"Good morning, Haru," greeted Sokka. "You're late, too?" asked the blue-eyed teen, almost out of breath.

"Well, looks like it," he said, laughing. "Are you going to get the practice schedule?"

"Yeah, I got into the martial arts team," he said proudly as he continued along the path to the university's campus.

"That's good… I also got in, so we'll be teammates," said Haru, smiling as he waved to some of his friends that he saw sitting on the campus benches.

"Listen, Sokka, do you know the guy that's going to be our new captain? People tell me that he's really strict and has a difficult personality…"

"Yeah, I know him," Sokka said, bad-mannered. "He's a pain, although I should admit that he _does_ fight really well… His name is Yamazaki Zuko. He's a Junior, and he's been in charge of the team practically from when he first set foot in the university."

"I see," Haru said, somewhat nervously. "I hope that we can get along with him… This Yamasaki makes me suspicious; it seems that he doesn't accept just anybody in _his_ team…"

"Exactly, but it looks like he chose us, and it's completely his right to be demanding… After all, his trainer is his own uncle, Yamazaki Iroh. That man's a legend in the world of martial arts; in his years, he knew exactly how to dominate the field and perfect the art of fighting," said Sokka, noticing that the doors of the gym were already open.

"Really? I didn't know that he was related to Yamazaki Iroh," said Haru, stopping. The gym was an enormous building.

"Well… It's time for us to get to know this Zuko in person," said Sokka, laughing as he walked behind Haru. The path to the entrance was long and dark… Both boys ran up the path until they reached the locker room; the lights were already on, which appeared to both of them to be strange.

"I thought that Yamazaki was already here," said the blue-eyed teen, looking around, but all that was there was the two of them and the lockers. His breaths were rapid because of the run. "Well… looks like he's not here…"

"Maybe we should go… Amelia said that she wanted to talk to me, and I shouldn't be late… Let's go, Sokka," suggested Haru, going to the door and putting one of his hands on the cold handle.

"Or maybe you two should begin to apologize for your delay, you pair of idiots," said a masculine voice behind them. Haru felt a shiver run down his spine as he turned to find himself directly with Zuko. "Your other teammates have demonstrated more of an interest than you two… I finished talking with them about the basics ten minutes ago, and you two decide to show up just now… Well, I'm thankful that you two have decided to grace the gym with your presence."

Sokka continued to look at the teen defiantly. It hadn't been _his_ fault that he was late… well, yes, it _had_, but Zuko didn't have any right to talk to them like this.

"I assume that you're Masahiko," he said, looking at Sokka. "And you must be Matsue." Yamazaki approached the two students, his expression decidedly angry. Zuko was a pale teen, tall and well-built, who always had his black hair tied up in a high ponytail. This morning, his means of dress was simple; he wore just a pair of pants and a dark red T-shirt under a jacket that he wore open. "I hope that you two are done talking about your social life and love life."

Yamazaki observed the two boys, like a lion surveing his prey before devouring it. Haru felt sweat begin to trail down his front as the blue-eyed boy tried to keep his gaze on the captain.

"Let me tell you two that it doesn't please me that you two show only a bit of commitment to the team. I don't want to see you two come late again; I won't hesitate to kick you off the team if I need to," he said angrily. "This is something serious, and I don't want you two to ignore it."

"Don't exaggerate, Yamazaki, we were only late a couple of minutes…"

"It'd be better if you don't use this kind of tone with me, Masahiko. I won't accept it if you disrespect me. _I_ am the captain here, and what _I _decide, goes. And if I say that coming fifteen minutes late merits expulsion from the team, then that's how it'll be," said Zuko. "I'll give you two your schedules… Know that you're accepting a commitment with this. You'll need to go to _all_ the practices in order to be ready for the next national competition. Don't embarrass me."

The amber-eyed teen took a pair of envelopes from one of the pockets of his jacket and gave one to each of them.

"Here are the dates and times… It's best if you two train hard," grumbled Zuko before looking from head to toe at the novices and leaving furiously through the door from which, seconds before, the two boys had entered.

The silence settled itself for a few minutes as the boys looked nervously at each other, then looked at the envelopes that they had in their hands.

"He's not _that_ bad… or is he?"

"Be quiet, Haru," said Sokka irritably as he left the place, following his friend closely. Both boys continued their route through the university, talking about the practices that were coming up, because it was scheduled for them to practice on every day except for Sundays.

"Well, would you look at this… It seems as if Yamazaki has been a bit liberal with the practices, don't you think?" snorted Haru as he looked at the page with the schedule.

"No way…"

"Training on Monday at night, Tuesday in the afternoon, Wednesday after classes…"

"Thursday at night and Friday, too… Even on Saturday, he doesn't quit," grumbled Sokka, wrinkling his paper slightly.

"Looks like he needs a girlfriend, huh?" Haru joked.

"Yeah, definitely, though who would be the poor girl? I don't think there can be a girl in the whole world who would be able to tolerate him, what with that personality of his."

The two boys laughed as they arrived again on the campus.

"What do you say if we go and have breakfast, Sokka? I don't know about you, but I haven't eaten anything, and my stomach is growling."

"You too, Haru? What happened?"

"I didn't go grocery shopping, and I woke up on the weekend to find the refridgerator empty," he lamented as he put his hands in his pockets, pulling out a few bills. "We _could_ go to eat at one of those cafés around here. Want to?"

"Sure, although afterwards, we should really go to the supermarket…"

"Good morning, Haru!" said a girl with wavy blonde hair, startling the two boys.

"Ahh… Hi, Amelia. How are you?" he said nervously, putting a hand on his neck, a definite sign of nervousness.

"I'm well, but, well… I…"

"Hi, Sokka!" said another girl arriving behind the blonde. Both of them wore the same clothing; the only difference between the girls was that the girl who had just arrived had black hair, almost bluish. "Listen, guys, did you hear?" she asked.

"Hi, Mina… What's up?"

"There's going to be a great party at Nameku's house; it'll be this Friday, and there'll be tons of food and drinks," said the girl as Amelia nodded, without taking her eyes off Haru. "Everyone's going to go, and I assure you that it'll be worth it."

"Ahh, I see…"

"And we'd like to go," she said, almost in a whisper, as her cheeks began to flush red. "I wanted to know if you guys could go with us… you know… l-like a date…"

Sokka tensed up immediately, seeing that Haru also looked genuinely uncomfortable in the girls' presence. "I don't know, Mina, we just got our schedule for the martial arts practices… and I'm afraid we can't. We have practice the entire week."

"Oh… Come on, Sokka, you guys can ditch _one_ night… The captain won't notice that you're gone."

As if summoned by magic, the distant sound of a motorcycle was heard, attracting the notice of all four of them. Zuko had his helmet on over his head and had accelerated his motorcycle until it was behind the gym where both boys were standing. The roar of the motorcycle surprised the girls, who quickly moved out of the teen's way.

The motorcycle advanced up the pavement until it stopped before the boys. Still without turning off the engine, Zuko lifted the visor of his helmet to look snidely at the boys, who were trying with difficulty to look into those amber eyes.

"Don't screw up, Masahiko, Matsue," he said sternly before revving the again of his motorcycle again, then whizzing down the avenue.

"I think it's best if we leave…"

"Yeah, Haru's definitely right. We have to train hard, and I don't want to get on Yamazaki's bad side," Sokka added.

"Well, girls, we'll see you again," said Haru, practically dragging the blue-eyed boy down the path. The girls sighed, defeated, seeing how the boys had left them without an answer. But…

"Tomorrow's another day, right Amelia?"

"Of course, Mina." The two girls laughed knowingly, leaving the campus again.

* * *

Oblivious to everything else going on, in the teenager Masahiko's house, the telephone in the living room rang repeatedly, forcing Rezo to flee from the loud appliance.

The dog ran up the stairs, escaping from the room where the sound was concentrated the most, where he wouldn't be able to sleep in peace…

The final ring sounded; the answering machine then played its recorded message:

"_Hello, you have called the Masahiko residence… I'm not at home right now; please leave your number and I'll return your call as soon as I can…"_

"_Sokka? Hi bro, it's Katara… How are you? What a pain, I didn't call when you were at home; surely you're out with some friends of yours. Well, it doesn't matter. I'm calling you to tell you that I'll be there soon… yeah, well… I'm returning to Tokyo for a few days, and I hope that you haven't messed up the house like I've imagined._

_I'll be there within a couple of days, and I'd like for you to pick me up at the airport… Don't worry; I'll call you again to tell you the time of my flight. Right now, I'm packing my stuff, and Dad, like always, is concentrating on his work, ignoring me completely… I hope to see you soon, Sokka, and I hope that you're well and that you've fed Rezo well. I miss you, brother… Bye, see you soon."_

The sound of the recording machine informed that the call had finished… The arrival of Katara surely would unbalance a few of Sokka's plans… there was no doubt about it.

* * *

**To be continued…**

**Well, now as you all know, Katara's returning to Tokyo to see her brother, and some things will happen that will likely change her life. You see? XD I can't resist Zutara :P… Well, in conclusion, please leave me a review! XD They're vital for this fic to continue…**

**Kisses,**

**-Samara-Lestrange-**

* * *

_**Translator's Notes:** Sorry for the long delay in getting this done ; Anyway, reviews are greatly appreciated; all reviews with be translated and forwarded to Samara. Also, I've had minimal time to edit this, so I would really appreciate it if you guys pointed out any mistakes I made, awkward sentences, etc. Thanks!_


	3. Chapter 3: Interesting

_**Translator's Notes: **Eek, this chapter took quite a while to be finished, huh? Well, I think I'm getting better at translating, seeing how this one went along fairly smoothly :) Anyway, seeing _Secret of the Fire Nation_ really spurred me on to finish translating this chapter, seeing how certain scenes from it… well, I won't spoil it for those of you who haven't watched it. ;D_

_Anyway, I'm a bit pressed for time, so if you see anything awkward in this chapter, or any sort of weird mistake, please point it out. And both Samara and I really appreciate reviews, so feel free to leave 'em :D The review notes below are for reviews to the Spanish version, but I decided to include them in case anyone was comparing this to the Spanish version and wanted to know what it was saying. :)  
_

* * *

**Mimiru:** Many thanks for your review! As the first to read this chapter, I'm eternally thankful :) and I'm happy to know that you like it, as I thought that it was trash T.T But bue…XD I'm excited and I want to continue because I see that there are people who appreciate this :P So here you have the next chap and I hope that you like it. Sayounara. 

**Itzumi-chan:** Thanks for the review, and although there will be Zutara, you'll see that I have some surprises up my sleeve XD. And I still don't know if Aangy will show up o.o I'm still trying to organize my ideas. We'll see :P

**angel-lali:** Thanks for reading, and I hope that you like this chapter :P.

**angelx310:** Thanks friend, and no, no need to be cautious :) I'm happy that you decided to leave me a review, and I'm happy to know that you also like Sokka/Suki, xD I promise that I won't disappoint you and that I'll continue. Sorry for the delay with this fic; my inspiration fell into a coma so I'm going to continue to try to revive it. Sayounara :P

Now, there'll be more explanations at the end. But I can't continue without first writing the disclaimer.

**Disclaimer:** No, Avatar isn't mine, but I still love Zuko XD.

* * *

**HEART ON ICE  
**By -Samara-Lestrange-  
Translated by helium lost 

Chapter 3. 'Interesting'

It was still very early, but considering that it was Sunday... any time of day would have been considered 'very early'.

The place was deserted, and he sincerely liked it better this way... It was enough for him to feel the cold of the ice to feel accompanied; it was enough for him to know that soon, the girl would arrive and he would sit with her… His blue eyes looked at the rink where only the lights illuminated the cold air emanating from the white surface. An almost invisible smile formed on his lips as he remembered the message that he had heard that morning on the answering machine… Having his sister back again was a bit of good news for him; it was time to change his monotonous and boring life. Well… at least that was what _he_ thought. "You have a marvelous sister and a marvelous father even though they aren't here, and you're lucky to be independent." He'd heard that a million times… but it was something that didn't cheer him up.

"According to Haru, I'm a very lucky guy…" said with pity the dark-haired boy, supporting his elbows on his knees and letting his face rest between his hands. "But the truth is that I… I'd give up everything to be in his place…"

And so it was; Haru was a guy who didn't stand out much from the crowd, but he was happy… Living with his mother and getting visited monthly from his father who worked outside the country… The presence of his complete family compensated largely for his not having siblings. But for Sokka it was very difficult to continue forward, since he was the only member of the Masahiko family who had been strong enough (or stubborn enough) to stay in this city.

Katara had her life in London; she studied there with their father. She was very perceptive and intelligent… with a strong personality like that of their father: Hakoda. She was in her last year of high school, and soon she would look into universities, and although Sokka wouldn't admit it before her, he would love it if his sister studied in the same university as he and if she kept him company at home… because although Katara always denied it whenever she had the opportunity, she bore a strong resemblance to her mother.

But through illusions one doesn't live; he had learned that when he was very young. Now the only thing that he could do was to continue on with his life, and hope that his sister had a good flight here. And enjoying a little bit of familiar warmth… His breath slowed and calmed as he warmed his cheeks with the smooth skin of his palms.

"Good morning Masahiko," greeted Suki's song-like voice behind him as she touched him on the shoulder. "I hope that I didn't make you wait for too long…"

"No, not at all," he reassured, lifting his face from his hands and standing up as he smoothed out his coat and brushed a few strands of hair from his forehead. "Ready to begin, I suppose… that is, if you even still want to."

"I came, didn't I?" responded the skater, seating herself to take off her tennis shoes and change into the pair of skates that she brought in her backpack. "If I came, I think that that's more than enough to show that yes, it matters to me… and that I don't plan to be conquered, Masahiko…"

"Whatever you say..." Sokka simply watched as the girl tied the laces of her skates... in a way that he considered to be incorrect. He snorted before he ducked to her side and took her hands in his gloved ones.

"What... What are you doing?" she said pulling back immediately and looking bewildered at her skating teacher.

"I wasn't going to do anything to you; it's just that you don't tie your laces well," he said, smiling, before he began to untie the laces. "You have to tie them in a comfortable way. If you have to tuck your toes in at the front after a while, it's because you've tightened your skates too much… but if you can move your toes around while you're standing it's because you haven't tightened them enough…" whispered the dark-haired boy, concentrating on tying the skates. The girl simply looked overwhelmed at the blue-eyed boy who was on his knees, tying the skates… He was weird; in fact, the whole situation was weird.

Suki snorted.

"What?" murmured Sokka as he tied the other skate.

"Well... it's just that it fells like a clichéd version of Cinderella, with the servant of the prince looking for the maiden who was the owner of the glass shoe," replied the brunette. "It's just that the shoe is a skate and that it isn't made of glass, and that the prince, well… You aren't exactly a blue prince yourself." _Even though he has very pretty blue eyes,_ thought the skater to herself.

"And of course, you aren't exactly a fair maiden, either," he laughed as he finished tying the lace. But as a response he simply received a friendly whack on his head on the behalf of the offended girl.

"You're hilarious, Masahiko."

A couple of seconds passed and when Sokka looked up he found himself face-to-face with the beautiful eyes of the skater... The two blinked, a bit surprised at finding themselves so close. The two remained in this position, her examining him with those profoundly deep eyes of hers, submerging the boy in the depths of her pupils which revealed an extremely intelligent woman. He, without changing his expression, just parted his lips to say something, but the words were never heard… or, at least, Suki didn't hear them.

"Well..." he murmured, closing his eyes and cutting her from his sight, "I've finished..." announced the boy, standing and avoiding the gaze of his companion. "Now it's best that we see what you've got, and I'll see what I can do to help you improve…"

"Are you always this confident?" muttered Suki, frowning slightly before she began to walk toward the rink with slow steps.

"You could say that. Still, you're still inexperienced, so I won't think about expecting too much."

"Oh, stop, you're flattering me," said the girl sarcastically before she began to carve the ice with the blades of her skates. Her graceful figure moved with caution along the circumference of the rink as Sokka watched her movements… They were almost perfect, and there wasn't much that he could do concerning her personality inlaid in her turns and spins… That dominant personality, but at the same time tender, was the key that made her movements a delight for someone who knew how to appreciate skating.

The girl began to warm up while she traveled across the fine layer of ice, stretching her arms while she turned and her legs began to wake as she carried out some movements that required a great capacity of agility… She pulled one of her legs back with an arm that was also turned behind her back.

"Not bad, Masagi..." Sokka murmured to himself, leaning on the rail at the edge of the rink, without missing a single detail of the skater's feminine movements… She had a lot of talent, and he could help her perfect it. He wanted to help her perfect it… in addition to the fact that every turn that Suki made was recorded into the mind of the boy that was, in a sense, almost obsessed…

Again the eyes of the boy passed over the well-formed legs of the girl, which were outlined to perfection through the fabric of her pants. His eyes wandered over the perfect proportions of her nubile body. Without being very voluptuous, she was attractive, because she was well-proportioned in all the right parts.

"Masahiko? How are you going to teach me anything if you don't even step onto the rink?" asked the girl, coming toward the edge. "Or perhaps you're scared of the ice?" she joked, sticking out her tongue.

Sokka's features hardened. Yes, in a way... you could say that it scared him... but not the ice, but rather, a past that had embittered his life from then until now for a good amount of time.

"Look Masagi, if you want to learn, and if you're a good student and I'm a good teacher... We won't even need to go onto the ice, or at least, not yet…" he said, smiling satisfied as he saw how as she huffed and puffed, her breath lifted a few rebellious strands of hair close to her face. "Show me that you're as talented as you say…"

"So I will; you won't doubt that."

"Good, we'll begin. Warm up," he said, while she looked at him, annoyed.

"But I already did!"

"You'll do it again, but this time, following the advice that I'm going to give you," explained Sokka, assuming an arrogant position. Suki simply stopped and stood, looking at him defiantly. "You have to do these exercises; they'll help you progressively tone your muscles and your tendons. And with them you'll avoid sprains, or the chance of twisting something. The gradual increase of the intensity of the exercises will make your muscles more effective."

"Yes, yes, my oh-so-calm teacher."

"Now flex your knees and ankles," ordered the boy. "Bend your knees and your ankles, your feet in a comfortable and level position. The weight should be on your heels…" The brunette began to skate, following to the letter what Sokka was saying to her. "The right of your body… Look forward and not below. Now transfer your weight from one foot to the other, your hips always in the direction of your heels. Masagi, you need to lift up your head."

"I can't believe it. It looks like you know what you're talking about, Masahiko," huffed a bit admiringly the skater as she felt how her joints began to warm up in a way that was much more effective than just a few seconds ago. She let the dark-haired boy continue to show her how to continue with the exercises, some which were more complicated than the first… but equally as functional. And thus the boy began to win the secret admiration of his chestnut-haired student.

* * *

The enormous buildings of London were bathed by the rain that had fallen yesterday in he afternoon and which had continued until that night. The enormous drops of water fell like stones onto the enormous windows of that small apartment in the heart of the city. Inside, the air was warm, and one could breathe the silence in the apartment. The decorations were simple, and only a clock accompanied with its eternal _tick-tock_ the melody that this place composed.

The lights were on, and a light sound of the ringing of cutlery, plates, and cups came from the small kitchen. There, seated at the table, were a dark-haired, blue-eyed girl, and a man with graying, chestnut-brown hair. Both ate in a suppressing silence, save for the slow chewing of the food laid out on the table. The young girl maintained her serious expression, reflecting excellent manners when she held the fork and knife. The knee-length skirt that she wore was of a pale pink color, and her blouse was white with a few letters embroidered in sky blue, while her dark brown hair was firmly braided. Katara simply cut the meat of her dinner under the restless gaze of her father.

"So, Katara... How was your day?" murmured the man a bit insecurely, drinking a sip of water.

"You seriously want to know?" responded the brunette without letting herself look at him. "Well, dad, today I began to pack my bags for Tokyo…" she whispered, enjoying her portion of rice.

"Yes... you already have the ticket, right?" said without much importance Hakoda.

"Of course. At least _I'm_ concerned about seeing Sokka..." she said dolefully, pushing to the side the small piece of meat that remained uneaten on the plate.

Her father looked at her, bothered. "Yes, I _am_ concerned about him, it's just that I haven't had time to…"

"I know. Your meetings, your business, Jane... They're all more important to you than my brother."

"Enough, Katara, I know that you're still bothered but that doesn't give you the right to talk to me in that tone of voice. I don't know anymore what it is that you want... I'm giving you permission to go to Tokyo again. I work very hard to let you two continue with your studies; I work with effort as a man so that you two can have a future… especially you," replied Hakoda.

"Sokka doesn't need money; he needs a family..."

"We offered for him to come, but he didn't want to..."

"Perhaps he did what you never could have done, Dad..." whispered the blue-eyed girl, taking her plate and standing, walking over to the dishwasher. "Maybe Sokka actually loved Mom, or at least he did more than what you and I did."

"I don't want to talk about that, Katara..." said the dark-haired man, pushing aside his food so that he could look with more determination at his daughter. "Tomorrow at three I'm going to see Jane… when is your flight?" he said with a halting voice, putting his hands on the marble of the kitchen.

"My flight is at three thirty, Dad, and thank you very much for remembering. Don't worry, because I can go alone to the airport, and of course, your beloved business partner will miss you…" she murmured sarcastically as she let the water run from the faucet to wash her plate. The peal of the drops washed the last bits of the food off the plate and wet the smooth hands of the brunette. "I hope that, in my absence, you and Jane will enjoy a little bit of 'privacy'," she murmured, filling the dinnerware with detergent, washed it, toweled it, and dried it before turning around and walking toward the door of the kitchen.

Her father simply remained quiet while she washed. Suddenly, he appeared to regain the ability to talk. "Jane is a good person, Katara, and I also deserve to be happy, right?" he said to her as loud as he could so that she would hear.

"But... at what price?" she murmured, and with these last words she left the kitchen, leaving the man to finish eating in solitude. Katara closed with annoyance the door of her room and, once she was inside, she lay on her bed, letting the pillow receive all the weight of her head while she stared at a blank point on the wall.

Jane was a colleague of her father, and it wasn't long ago that he had introduced himself to her. And not too long ago he began to view this woman as something more than a friend from work.

Jane Smith was blonde, tall, with pale skin and dark eyes, with a sweet character, a personality very secure and attractive... So why did Katara feel this knot in her heart whenever her father mentioned her? Perhaps it was because she felt that the memory of her mother was being hurt by the presence of ANOTHER woman in Hakoda's life; maybe it was the resentment of knowing that someone else was going to take the place of her mother. The memory of Natsuki was in danger of being forgotten by her father because of those dangerous curves that were Miss Jane…

The blue-eyed girl turned, looking at the whitewashed roof, sighing heavily at remembering that her bags were still only half-packed, but she didn't feel like packing them… Thinking about the possibilities of having a 'stepmother' didn't please her. Hakoda, Sokka, and she had always been a family; divided, yes, but still a family in the end. And now Jane planned on coming and putting herself in the middle of the lives of the three people without even knowing any of them all that well… What would Sokka make of this? …He had always loved his mother, and certainly he would explode once he found out…

No, it was better not to think about it... They were just the children of Hakoda, and if their father loved that woman like he had said, then there was no sense in Katara opposing the inevitable... nor could she remain quiet… but it was what she was looking for, going to Tokyo… remembering her mother and remembering that no one could ever take the place of Natsuki in her world. Katara hoped that she could leave her father so that he could clarify his thoughts… and so that she herself could clear her mind…

She needed someone's support, and that someone had to be her brother... The bags waited for her; Tokyo waited for her. Katara smiled sadly before turning off the lamp on her bedside table, and losing herself in the darkness and in the pounding of the rain on her window. With the thoughts of Natsuki, Jane, and Hakoda in her mind, she fell into a restless sleep… Tomorrow would be her nonstop flight to Tokyo… and, behind her, what she had fled from.

* * *

The hits resonated throughout the empty room and the light of the morning penetrated through the thick curtains that always covered the windows of that old house. The Persian carpets, the fine, antique decorations, the glassware in the priceless wooden stands well-polished and well-preserved, although the thin layer of dust over some objects showed that the place was thus: it was a relic.

The portraits were dark due to the lack of light, and a spider had made itself home on the roof over the years of its disuse… Further on, following the ample wooden floor, there were various doors, which must have led to more passages in the stately Yamazaki home.

The hits began again to be heard at the end of one of the passages; one door remained half-opened, letting a thin ray of light escape from the room... The room was large, almost like a lounge… only that the floor was almost entirely upholstered with what appeared to be rubber gym mats, the kind that only professional gyms had.

The windows were sealed, and inside there hung only an enormous punch bag, which didn't move. At the sides there were only a few wooden swords, and a pair of white martial arts uniforms, like the kind that the boy was wearing as he trained in the middle of the room.

Below, he only wore the pants of the suit, tied with a black belt, and above, he wore just a white shirt that stuck to his shirt from the sweat. His muscles were tense and his body burned from the heat of training. The sweat ran down his pale forehead, and his amber eyes were fixed on a point as if he was studying the nothingness before he made any movement, while his breathing was agitated, his muscular chest heaving up and down.

The teen yelled before he launched a strong punch following the various impulsive, aggressive moves from his strong arms. He spun and jumped into the air before returning to throwing powerful punches that were received by the emptiness. And thus he continued… rehearsing techniques, improving what he already knew, trying to perfect his agile movements…

"Zuko... as always, you're training, nephew. Don't you respect the weekend at all?" said a tired voice behind him, making the boy fall to his knees on the ground while he took in a few gulps of air to steady his breathing.

"I didn't mean to wake you... sorry," grumbled the bad-tempered teen as he stood and walked toward the old man, who had a cup of steaming tea in his hand.

"Oh, no... It's nothing; I was already awake a while ago. It's just that… you should calm yourself a bit, nephew; the competition is in two months. You have enough time to prepare."

"My team has to be the best; I can't have the luxury of resting for single a moment, and neither can those idiots that will be working as my 'team'."

"Yes, I understand, but at times I think that you're a bit too enthusiastic…"

"This is how it has to be; I don't want to be anything mediocre... My sister always manages to please my father, and she always brings him medals and trophies for his repulsive 'collection'," murmured the boy. "And now it's my turn; I won't let this award escape from my hands. Last year, it was carelessness on my behalf…"

"Of course not..."

"Yes, but this year, it's different. I'm going to improve the college team, and we're going to get first place... I'm not going to let Azula win the spot that's rightfully mine, being the first-born," he said, huffing.

Zuko left the room, a serious expression on his face.

"Well... But, you need to eat! A man needs to eat and sleep in moderation," said his uncle, smiling widely as he followed Zuko to the kitchen.

"I know... but I'm not hungry. I'll drink some juice and then I'll leave for a walk. I have some things that I have to do… My father has a martial arts academy with his name, my sister has been decorated with honors from him himself, and I haven't been able to get first place in anything, which has made me mediocre in their eyes… It's motivation to continue forward," he murmured.

"I understand, but... I'll repeat it. You exaggerate... You'll have your chance, Zuko..."

"You should pay attention to Mr. Iroh... Zuko," laughed a voice that was quite familiar to the two men. There, on the marble counter of the large kitchen, sat a boy around eighteen years old, biting into an apple and smiling, amused. His green eyes shone like emeralds in the light of the sun that entered through the windows of the dining room, and his hair shone like the same sun. His reddish hair stood out like his clothes: baggy blue jeans with a thousand and one pockets in them, and a black T-shirt with the words "Bad Boy" written on them. His red mane was tied into a ponytail, but a few locks managed to rebel and escape loose, falling onto the white skin of the green-eyed boy.

"What are you doing here, Janus? It's too early in the morning for you to start making a scene," replied Zuko, smiling.

"Good morning, Janus. Are you going to stay for breakfast?" asked Iroh.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't stay for long. I just came to see if Zuko was ready to go see the competition… Ahh, and it pleases me to see you again, friend…" replied the redhead, jumping off the counter. "So… Are we going to go, or not?"

"Wait for me to shower and change," grumbled the amber-eyed boy, returning toward the stairs that would take him to his room.

"You're worse than a stupid girl. I'll die waiting for you here," complained the green-eyed boy, examining the kitchen with an air of boredom. On the table, there was a teapot that steamed peacefully; to the side, there was a breadbasket with a few small pastries. And on a ledge of the kitchen there was a box with cereal and various cookies, which were taken by Janus while Iroh took a pastry from the breadbasket and ate it in a single bite.

"If you didn't come so early, you wouldn't have had to wait for me. Plus, if you want, you can go by yourself," said Zuko strongly while he escaped up the stairs. Janus simply sighed with frustration while he examined the contents of the cereal box. He took a handful like a small child before shoving it into his mouth, leaving various grains of sugar on his face.

"Milk?" asked Iroh politely as he passed him a cup with the milk carton.

"Thank you, sir," said the redhead, sitting at the table with his friend's uncle. "Does he always wake this bad-tempered?"

"You already know the answer, Janus..."

"Yeah... Dunno why I asked," said the boy, taking another handful of cereal.

* * *

"Well, you've improved much faster than I'd hoped," said Sokka, watching as the chestnut-haired girl came toward the banister anew to leave. Her first session had been entertaining for the two of them, the girl smiling because she had learned something new, and him smiling because Suki's warmth made him feel good; her charm made him happy. 

"Does that mean that I've surprised you?" asked the girl, moving clumsily off the ice to reach one of the banks so that she could take off her skates.

"Well... you could say so, although if I were you I wouldn't build up my hopes," laughed the dark-haired one, taking her hand to bring her closer to the seat. The skater was rather surprised that he took with much confidence her hand to help her, and more surprised that he was chivalrous, although with his attitude he was rather arrogant… Sokka Masahiko was a strange contrast, very different to the other men she was around with. Half-conscious, she sat, and took off her skates before putting them into her backpack again.

"Well, Masahiko, you also surprised me; I truthfully didn't hope that someone totally random to me would know so much about skating... Are you a skater?" murmured the chestnut-haired girl, standing to leave with halting steps toward the loud streets, where the sun had already begun to illuminate the scenery of the city.

"I... well, I'm not... my mother," he murmured tersely before putting his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

"Ohh, I see..." she said, examining his changed expression, there again... It was a brusque, abrupt change, his features tensing whenever they spoke about skating, his eyes clouding over; his voice became hoarser… Everything about him changed, and on this occasion, it had been more than the usual. Suki lowered her gaze, trying to understand what could be going on with him.

Sokka had just looked away, gazing instead at some point on the cobbles of the street.

"Well... I owe you a cup of coffee, right? It'd be better if we go soon because it's almost nine, so we can still get a hot cappuccino..." laughed the girl, adjusting her backpack on her shoulders. She felt much better being with him, and she still didn't know why… She knew that she had been surprised about Sokka's knowledge of skating, and by how interesting and 'weird' he was. No… she was thinking nonsense. Him, attractive? No, it couldn't be; he was an older guy, the kind that would never be interested in her... well, even so, nobody could guarantee that. But the subject matter was that HE couldn't be 'interesting' and much less…

She laughed while she walked a little more with him.

"Hurry up, slowpoke, I've been skating all day and I'm tired, and I'm still faster than you."

"Perhaps standing around and telling you what to do doesn't seem to be at all a bit 'exhausting' to you?"

"Well... to be honest... no."

"How cruel you are, Masagi..." said jokingly the boy as he came closer to her. "Just because of this joke, I now want a double-cappuccino as payment."

"Hey! Don't tear a hole in my wallet, you scrounger."

"All right, all right... so then I'll invite you to the second round of coffee, how about that?"

"Sounds like the best idea that you've suggested this entire morning, Masahiko." The girl smiled, turning at the corner. "You're very smart."

"Thanks, and I too like your ideas," replied the dark-haired boy, smiling at her as well. She wasn't like the annoying girls at the university; she was young, but very balanced and charismatic…

"This looks to me to be the start of a beautiful friendship, Masahiko."

"Yeah, I think so, too..." agreed the dark-haired boy, and, lagging behind a bit from the girl, all of a sudden, he pulled the hood of Suki's jacket over her head so that she couldn't see.

"Masahiko! Now you've gone too far," she retorted, taking off the hood while he exploded into laughter. "Idiot…" she added, smiling before pushing him. The girl's cheeks were flushed red… of course the blush was because of the momentary anger from Sokka's little joke… right? Or perhaps… from something else?

* * *

**To be continued...**

**XD okay, you see, you see? O-O I wrote something that left me a bit disconcerted ¬¬U It can't be that bad, right? Tell me that it isn't u-u because I'm at the end of the idea that I like but I don't know what the readers want :) so to find out what you guys think, you should press that little button at the bottom and leave me a review. I'm begging you on my knees T-T leave me your opinions; I want to continue with this fic, which I have the feeling that I need to improve but oh well :P…I hope to see them soon and don't worry :D Zutara will come soon.**

**Sayounara, bye, bye.  
**

* * *

_**Translator's Notes:** Any and all reviews will be translated and forwarded to Samara, so review away:D_


	4. Chapter 4: Strawberry–Flavored Problems

_**Translator's Notes:** Aughhh, this took long enough to get out, huh x.x It was published in early November 2006; sorry that it took so long to translate! Anyway, as always, enjoy!_

* * *

**I wasn't too late with this o.OUUuu right? Just say no ;--;…**

**Zuko:** According to her, her lack of creativity is because of homework and tests ¬¬… even though her classes finished a week ago u.uU

**No one asked you ò.O Zu-chan. U-u Of course… Happy Halloween to everyone! I know it's been over half a month, but better late than never. So now I'll leave you with this to read, and when you're done, leave me your suggestions and comments in a review. Come on TT-TT it doesn't cost you anything; just click on the button that says "GO"!**

**Disclaimer:** They aren't mine; they're the property of the great Dante D. and Bryan K.

* * *

**Heart on Ice**

**Chapter 4. Strawberry-Flavored Problems**

* * *

It was a rainy and cold morning, all because of the autumn that had already waved good-bye and signaled the winter to begin. And although he was wrapped up in a large coat, it didn't completely take away the discomfort caused by waking up early to go to school.

He entered the campus and ignored the rest of the student body like he usually did every morning, and he walked toward his classroom.

"Good morning, Sokka!"

"Good morning, Haru. Today you didn't come late as usual."

"My alarm clock finally rung…"

"So you're trying to say that you could finally hear it without throwing it at the window." The boy laughed, entering the classroom and taking his seat beside his friend.

"Yeah, whatever. Listen… When's Katara coming?"

"I'm not sure. She left me a message saying that she'd call me later to tell me the day and time that I should go to the airport to wait for her, but I still haven't heard from her."

"Can I go, too? I haven't seen her in a long time."

"Of course, no problem," agreed the young man, seeing his professor come in. "This is going to be a long morning; Professor Takeda's voice is an even better sleeping pill than the ones that my grandma takes…" Haru laughed before he started to doodle on a sheet of paper, and the blue-eyed teen shook his head disapprovingly of the boy's immature behavior.

* * *

"So you're going to Osaka?"

"Yes, Jane," the brunette replied dryly, packing a pair of pants into her suitcase.

"How long are you staying there?"

"As long as necessary…"

"We're going to miss you," said the woman, examining the almost empty room of Hakoda's daughter, her gaze finally resting on the photographs in their pictureframes on top of the desk. She gazed at a particular picture of the two siblings hugging their parents affectionately, happily laughing between kisses that the pair was giving them.

"That's a beautiful picture…" commented Jane, reaching out to pick it up.

"I know." Katara simply took the pictureframe away from her grasp, and placed it into her suitcase. The woman looked at her, surprised.

"Katara, I…" began the blonde.

"Are you ready? I'll help you take your suitcases downstairs, and then we'll take you to the airport."

"Yes, Dad, thanks," agreed the brunette, closing her suitcase and taking it outside of her room with some difficulty. Hakoda took note of the surprised expression on Jane's face.

"Something wrong?"

"No, don't worry… it's nothing." She smiled falsely, passing by him, and giving him a kiss on the cheek before leaving completely. When they were at the door of their flat, the man took his daughter with the braided hair by the arm.

"You should be appreciative of Jane. She had to postpone our three-o'clock meeting so that we could accompany you to the airport…"

"Yes, you have no idea how appreciative I am," she said sarcastically, taking her pale pink coat from the sofa.

"Please, Katara, can't you at least try to get along with her?"

"I can't guarantee miracles, Dad." She breathed in the characteristic air of her house, mixed with Jane's strong perfume. "Don't worry about me. Just enjoy my absence; maybe you can take your relationship with your beloved Jane to a 'new level'," said the blue-eyed girl, bothered, as she left, leaving behind her father.

* * *

"Well, here we are, Katara," said Jane when they found themselves in front of the gate which Katara was to go through to board her plane.

"Be careful, and say hi to your brother for me."

"Sure, I'll do it." She smiled nervously, a brown bag on her shoulders.

"I hope that the flight's not too long or boring."

"It'll be long, but I came prepared. I brought my Walkman, my entire collection of CDs, and some magazines."

"And in case you get hungry, I brought you some ham and cheese sandwiches. The airplane food can never surpass a delicious sandwich a la Hakoda," her father offered, handing her a bag. "Have you already called Sokka to tell him when you're arriving?"

"Yes, I've called him, but since no one picked up, I left him a message. I told him that I'd be arriving on Wednesday at 5PM."

"Well, take care of yourself." Hakoda embraced Katara, and, powerless to control herself, she returned the embrace, feeling empty when she separated herself from him. "I feel really guilty for not being able to go with you… and letting you go by yourself."

"She's not a child anymore; she's responsible, and she'll be fine," said Jane. "Good luck, and I hope that you can spend a lot of time with your brother…"

"Call me when you get home."

"Yes, Dad."

The first call to board the flight for Osaka rang from the intercom. Katara put her drink in her bag, kissed Hakoda on the cheek, and hugged Jane.

"See you later!" she said at a distance, waving, before going through the gate and fading from her father's view. His breathing was agitated as he watched his child leave, but he then felt Jane's hand around his.

"She'll be fine."

"I know… she has her mother's spirit," he whispered, smiling.

* * *

"Thanks a lot for letting me borrow your anthropology notes, Mayu," said Haru, handing her a small red notebook. "You've saved my life… I don't know how to repay you."

"It's nothing… but you could pay me back by accompanying me to lunch."

"Sure, count on it," said the teen, walking with her along the path to the edge of the campus, where they found Sokka sitting on his backpack on one of the banks, listening to music on his Walkman.

"Hey, we're going to lunch. Coming?"

"Of course!"

The trio was soon walking away from their school, until they reached a street in which various fast-food restaurants and cafés attended to the students that had just left the campus. They went to the usual place and occupied their table, as always.

"You guys up for pizza?"

"Sure… You read my mind, Sokka," said Haru, licking his lips. "And some strawberry milkshakes to go with it, 'cause I know that those are Mayu's favorite."

"Exactly." She laughed while he flagged down a waitress. "Listen, guys, how can you stand that Yamazaki's super-rigorous training? Haru showed me his schedules, and it looks like he's demanding a bit too much from you guys."

"Well, we just have to get used to it, because we tried out and he picked us, and if we quit, we're going to win ourselves the eternal hatred of the 'captain'."

"But it's going to be finals time soon… Do you think you can survive?"

"I don't know. But we'll just have to try our best," said the brunette, thanking the girl who had brought them the milkshakes.

"I don't know how you're going to do it, Sokka; you're sister's coming soon, and you're going to have to spend time with her."

"I didn't think about that, Haru."

"Katara's coming? God… I haven't seen her in such a long time. I got along really well with her; she was always very sharp for her age."

"Yeah, I think she's staying a month… Right, Sokka?"

"Yeah, she said that she missed Osaka a lot and, of course, she missed her brother, too."

"Oh man… We'd better hurry up with lunch; we'll have to get back to class soon…" said Mayu.

"And don't forget, we have training tonight with Yamazaki at six," reminded Haru.

"Ohh, if things continue like this, I won't have any time at all for Rezo. Maybe I should leave him with my grandma Kanna."

"But she doesn't like dogs; she's allergic."

"I know, Mayu, but unless you want him to stay at your house and eat 'Snowball', I don't see any other solution."

"Hey! Don't talk about my cat like that."

"Calm down, guys. Mayu, no one's going to eat your cat," said Haru, ravenously eating his slice of pizza. "And Sokka, I just ask of you that you don't leave me alone with Yamazaki now; this guy is strange… I don't want to know how his training's going to be."

"You won't be alone; the rest of the team will be there, too. Zuko has to group the team by categories. You guys are just the first-year team," murmured the girl, munching on her pizza.

"Yeah… Whatever, but I don't want to be alone with that monster; I'm nervous just seeing his cold and expressionless face. Like you said, Sokka, I feel sorry for the poor girl that'll be his girlfriend… With that temper and that personality, it's best that he stays single."

"I see that you have enough time to criticize the life of others, Matsue," said a deep voice, making Haru spit out his strawberry milkshake.

"Uh, g-good afternoon, Yamazaki..."

"I hope you haven't forgotten about your training session for tonight, because, since it appears to me that you have a lot of free time, I swear to you that I'll kill you with push-ups," threatened the teen.

"But I… I…"

"Masahiko, Mayu." The teen acknowledged the other two, leaving Haru completely paralyzed before entering the restaurant and ordering his lunch.

"You have horrible luck, dude."

"Shut up, Sokka. Didn't you see the glint in his eyes? He's out to kill me…"

"Well, you deserved it; you shouldn't have talked like that about other people's lives…"

"Ohh, come on, Mayu, just because you're his friend doesn't mean that you should defend him like that…"

"He's a good person, and he has his reasons for acting the way he does. You shouldn't question other people's motives. He's had a very difficult childhood."

"Oh yeah? Why do you say that?"

"I'm not going to tell you about those kinds of things. It's perfectly fine of him to make you work twice as hard if he wants; he's your trainer, and it's not going to kill you to do more push-ups."

"But I don't know why he's so insistent on getting even with me; I haven't done anything wrong…"

"Yeah you have, Haru… Ahh, whatever, it's not important; it'd be better if we get back to school now." The girl picked up her notebooks, books, and her milkshake before standing up and walking toward the counter to pay for her part of the bill.

"Now you've done it, Haru," Sokka said, amused.

* * *

"That pair of kids, they think they're all that because they're the youngest members of the team, but they'll see now that this isn't just a kindergarten game. This is a serious competition."

"Calm down, Zuko… You don't have to get all worked up," recommended his red-headed friend, walking toward the team captain's house.

"I swear that, even though they're going to die in the process, those two are going to turn into excellent martial artists."

"Yeah, but there's no need to get so stressed. The classes are over for today already, and luckily, you don't have very much work; you can train peacefully with them tonight."

"Of course, I want you to come with me. I need all the help I can get."

"You flatter me…" Then green-eyed boy smiled appreciatively, entering and taking off his shoes.

"Leave your backpack in the living room; I'll go and see if there's anything to eat in the refrigerator."

"Yep… Of course, thanks for letting me come this afternoon. Truthfully, it's much closer from here to school than returning to my house…"

"No, it's nothing… Here, it's just me and my uncle in the afternoon, so it's no problem when you come. Today I think I'll go to the center to take care of some errands. Lemonade or soda?"

"Soda." Suddenly, something captured Janus's attention. A pair of purple tennis shoes was at the entrance. Was someone else in the house? Maybe… a girl?

"I'll be back in a sec; I'm going to the bathroom."

"Sure, you're at home, Janus," Zuko said sarcastically from the kitchen.

The redhead went to the path that led to the bathroom and heard the distant sound of a song. It appeared to be rock, or maybe metal, coming from his friend's room.

"What happened?" Zuko asked, walking toward him with a pair of sandwiches in his hand.

"Looks like you have visitors…"

Both of them walked toward the heavy doors of the room, then opened them.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" yelled Zuko, furious, scaring the green-eyed boy.

"What a way to greet your beloved cousin," said a girl with black hair, chestnut-colored eyes that were almost golden, white skin, and thick eyelashes, reclined on Zuko's bed.

"Selena! Get your dirty feet off of my bed!" reprimanded Zuko.

"Don't be so fussy; I just arrived—you could at least ask me how my trip was, right?"

"I don't care about how your trip was. I want you to get off of my bed."

"Fine, fine…" she said, jumping agilely from the bed and standing; she was rather tall for someone who was only fourteen years old. "Hi, nice to meet you; I'm Selena Karasawa."

"Janus Sugawara…" He watched, amused, as Zuko dusted off the comforter as if trying to bat away dust and/or germs.

Selena wore loose pant and a red, tight t-shirt; her hair was tied up with a green hairband. She also wore many bracelets on her wrists and pink socks.

"Friend, boyfriend, suitor, or acquaintance of my cousin Zuko?"

"I'm just his friend," the redhead said, laughing aloud.

"Selena, if you value your life, I'd suggest that you stop saying such nonsense!"

"I see that you've already found your cousin, Zuko… I hope that you treat her with lots of love and respect. Your aunt Yasuko's on a business trip, and we're going to have her over until she returns," said Iroh, who was standing by the door, laughing at the girl's actions.

"How long are you staying?" said the amber-eyed boy in the friendliest tone of voice that he could muster.

"Maybe a week, or two… or three… or a month…"

"Enough, Selena!"

"Yeah… Well, you asked how long I'd be staying, so I told you."

"Hush, children," said Janus, looking for some similarity between these two so-called 'cousins'. "Why don't we all go to the dining room to eat something?"

"Excellent idea, Janus-_san_…" The girl took one of the sandwiches and took a bite, stuffing her face with the food.

"Selena! That one was mine," complained Zuko, receiving as a response a series of guttural sounds from his cousin's mouth. "Please, swallow it."

"Ahh… It'd be better to leave them alone," smiled Iroh, leaving the room with slow steps; the sound of laughter could be heard throughout the hall.

"How clever my uncle is, my mother's sister asking us to take care of this little demon, and now I'm in charge," breathed Zuko, defeated.

"Oh, come on, she's not _that_ bad."

"I'll give her to you if you want, Janus, because I'm not planning to take her to the training session today…"

"Training? Can I go? I promise that I won't be a nuisance," she said.

"No! Over my dead body. No, Selena, don't give me that puppy-dog look because I didn't agree. It only worked when you were seven, and now that you're fifteen, it's not going to work with anyone, and least of all with me."

"Please, Zu-_chan_… Take me! Unless you're planning on leaving me home alone?"

"Oh, good point, Zuko. You can't leave her alone… It's very dangerous, and besides the whole issue of safety, she wants to see the city, right Selena?" The green-eyed teen smiled at her; she returned the smile and laughed, agreeing.

"Janus…" growled Zuko.

"How bad can it be?" asked the redhead, leaving the room and followed by the girl.

"You have no idea, Janus; you have no idea at all…"

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**I know. There's still not much action, but it'll get better. I already dreamed of the end of the fic on Halloween night 0 xD…so it'll be worth it.**

**Zuko:** They'll just see your ranting and raving after eating kilos of chocolate, caramel, lollipops, candy, and gummy worms ¬¬ They won't miss much u-u

(locks Zuzu into a great big plastic pumpkin) **And you already know that your reviews will be thanked in the next chapter. One more thing, tell me which character could be an alternate pairing for Sokka, just mention it in your review: **1) Azula XD 2) Yue O.OU 3) Ty Lee :P yes, I'm crazy. Don't ask questions xD just tell me.

**And now, my beloved readers. The Thanks n.n**

**Kagomechan** (Thanks so much for your message. T.T You move me a lot, a lot. And don't apologize XD You left me a review, and that's what's important xD Kisses and I hope you liked this chapter!) **nino-sama** (Kyaa, I couldn't resist the idea of tight clothes either ;D hehehe and yes, I'm a cheater O.oUUuu you noticed? Not much, right? …Of course, you noticed that I included Selena, and if you say 1, 2, or 3 I'll include the next victims, hehe. Bye and thanks for your lovely review, nino-san!) **Mimiru** (Character invented by moi xD who I adore and couldn't resist including. For more information, read _Ella es mi pecado_ in the same section. A thousand thanks for your message n.n) **Itzumi-chan** (We're really close now xD (Zuko: ¬¬ In the next chap) Shhh, Zu-zu, don't ruin this moment x.x .. Psss. Thanks for your review xD) **Argen** (Ahem… A thousand thanks for your support. XD Of course, AU is short for Alternate Universe xD. And O.o about the princess… it could be xD You've already read it: 1, 2, or 3. Thanks again for the idea xD) **Alexandra** (Yeah, I agree with you. Both of them are soo cute. And I think that that fool, who tries to conquer OUR Zuko, should die x.x So. Thanks for your review, and I hope that you continue reading. It'll get better.) **Azka.Chan-LoveYaoi-RedMoon **(Thanks for reading and leaving your opinion. No problem, Janus is 100 percent Samara's xD. He's a character that I made for my other fic: _Ella es mi pecado_. I hope that you enjoyed this chap!)

**Until the next update. And remember xD pick 1, 2, or 3!!!**

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_**Translator's Notes:** I'll make my best effort to translate and forward all reviews to Samara :) And, as always, if you notice any errors or anything that sounds awkward, please point them out! Thanks!_


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